Supreme Court certifies, recertifies senior judges
The Indiana Supreme Court has certified two additional judicial officers as senior judges for 2021.
Chief Justice Loretta Rush
Articles
CJ Rush: Pandemic changed judiciary, but courts kept working
Speaking with reporters via Zoom on Thursday, Indiana Chief Justice Loretta Rush acknowledged that despite efforts to keep courts operating remotely as much as possible, judges will face the difficult task in 2021 of working through COVID-created backlogs and getting their dockets back on schedule.
Longtime Marion County jurist Shook takes senior status
The Indiana Supreme Court on Monday certified retiring Marion Superior Court Magistrate Judge Deborah Jean Shook as a senior judge for 2021, beginning Jan. 1.
Justices split in Bloomington’s favor in annexation dispute with Holcomb
A divided Indiana Supreme Court on Tuesday ruled in favor of the city of Bloomington, upholding a ruling against the Indiana governor and striking down “special legislation” targeting the city’s annexation efforts. Dissenting justices, however, warned that the majority’s holding “erodes separation of powers.”
Justices suspend jury trials until March as pandemic continues
The Indiana Supreme Court has taken the “drastic” step of suspending all jury trials in Indiana until March 2021 as Indiana continues to report high numbers of positive COVID-19 cases.
Justices deny archdiocese’s bid to dismiss fired Cathedral teacher’s case
A four-member Indiana Supreme Court denied a petition Thursday filed by the Archdiocese of Indianapolis to stop the lawsuit brought by a social studies teacher who was fired from Cathedral High School for being in a same-sex marriage.
Indiana switching to Uniform Bar Exam in July
Indiana’s decision to adopt the Uniform Bar Exam came after a year of study, and the decision wasn’t unanimous. As Chief Justice Loretta Rush explained, “I really respect the dissenting opinion and in many ways a lot of us agree with what they are saying. But we really felt the time had come.”
Indianapolis attorney suspended for misleading client
An Indianapolis attorney who failed to act promptly and misled a client has been suspended from the practice of law in Indiana for six months.
Indiana to switch to Uniform Bar Exam in 2021
Indiana has decided to join the growing majority of states and adopt the Uniform Bar Exam in July 2021, according to an announcement Tuesday from the Indiana Supreme Court. Justices also announced Tuesday that the February 2021 Bar Exam will be given remotely.
Justices permit remote attorney disciplinary proceedings
Indiana Supreme Court justices in a Wednesday order provided instructions to hearing officers and parties in attorney disciplinary proceedings that have not yet proceeded to final hearing, perhaps most significantly permitting remote proceedings due to the continuing pandemic.
Justices split 3-2 in rejecting landowner appeal over dam repairs
Residents of a Miami County lake community lost their bid to make their case to the Indiana Supreme Court that the county, not property owners, are responsible for fixing six crumbling dams.
Justices hand down ‘more aggressive’ guidance on court COVID operations amid outbreaks
Court-related outbreaks of the novel coronavirus mean more aggressive approaches are needed for Indiana’s trial courts when it comes to in-person operations during the pandemic, according to a new order from the Indiana Supreme Court.
Justices to hear oil company’s appeal of denied insurance ransomware claim
The Indiana Supreme Court has agreed to hear an oil company’s appeal of a ruling against its claim for insurance coverage after it paid a ransom to hackers to regain control of its computer systems.
Crown Point attorney suspended after battery plea for spitting on officer
Indiana Supreme Court justices have suspended a Crown Point attorney and ordered her to JLAP services after she was found driving recklessly and asleep behind the wheel before struggling with and spitting on an officer.
Stafford: Institutional racism and judicial merit selection in Indiana
I’m by no means the first to suggest that merit selection systems may produce biased results, and people far smarter than me make compelling arguments both ways. But as applied in Indiana, it’s hard to argue this is not a biased system, especially in Marion County.
Justices vacate habitual offender enhancement after 6-year delay in retrial
A man serving an 80-year sentence for a drug conviction will have his sentence reduced to 50 years after the Indiana Supreme Court ordered that his habitual offender enhancement be vacated.
Justices suspend attorney following multiple OWI arrests
A Huntington County lawyer who was arrested five times in a little more than a year on alcohol-related charges has been suspended from the practice of law for 180 days, with half of that time stayed.
Lawyer’s bid for reinstatement fails on 2-2 Supreme Court vote
A Fort Wayne attorney suspended more than two years ago over a scheme involving deceptive marketing practices failed in his bid for reinstatement as justices of the Indiana Supreme Court split 2-2 over his readmission to the practice of law. The fifth justice recused himself in the matter because he had served as the hearing officer in the attorney’s discipline case prior to his appointment to the high court.
Supreme Court certifies 11 new senior judges, recertifies 36
The Indiana Supreme Court has certified nearly a dozen judicial officers as senior judges and rectified three dozen, according to several separate Friday orders.
Justices: Drug test results properly admitted in parental rights termination hearing
A couple’s argument that their drug test results amounted to hearsay and should not have been admitted in court failed to convince the Indiana Supreme Court, which found the drug test reports were admissible under the records of a regularly conducted business activity exception.